HSE to issue alcohol drug on medical card and drugs payments schemes

The HSE has confirmed a new drug to treat alcoholism will be made available through the medical card and drugs payments schemes.

Selincro works by curbing craving for alcohol and trials have shown it can cut consumption levels by two thirds.

It is not yet known when the drug will come on stream through the HSE.

Chair of Population Health Medicine at Trinity College Dublin, Professor Joe Barry, believes around 150,000 people in Ireland are dependent on alcohol and the use of this drug will have to be carefully monitored.